Criteria

Institution encourages and/or supports sustainability research through one or more of the following:

An ongoing program to encourage students in multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability. The program provides students with incentives to research sustainability. Such incentives may include, but are not limited to, fellowships, financial support, and mentorships. The program specifically aims to increase student sustainability research.

An ongoing program to encourage faculty from multiple disciplines or academic programs to conduct research in sustainability topics. The program provides faculty with incentives to research sustainability. Such incentives may include, but are not limited to, fellowships, financial support, and faculty development workshops. The program specifically aims to increase faculty sustainability research.

Written policies and procedures that give positive recognition to interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research during faculty promotion and/or tenure decisions.

Ongoing library support for sustainability research and learning in the form of research guides, materials selection policies and practices, curriculum development efforts, sustainability literacy promotion, and/or e-learning objects focused on sustainability.

Applicability

This credit applies to all institutions where research is considered during faculty and/or staff promotion or tenure decisions. Institutions that do not consider research in promotion or tenure decisions as a matter of policy or standard practice may choose to omit or include the Research subcategory.

Pursuing one or more Research credits and omitting other credits in the subcategory as “not applicable” is not allowed.

Scoring

Institutions earn the maximum of 4 points available for this credit by providing all of the incentives and supports listed in the criteria above. Partial points are available based on the number of incentives and/or supports provided. For example, an institution that provides 2 of the 4 incentives or supports listed would earn 2 points (half of the points available for this credit).

Measurement

Timeframe

Active programs and policies and incentives offered within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission are eligible for this credit.

Sampling and Data Standards

Not applicable

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution and complete the Data Inquiry Form.

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System

(STARS) is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and
universities to measure their sustainability performance.